1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper discharge unit for discharging papers on which images, for example, have been printed by a plurality of printing engines. The present invention also relates to a printing apparatus that employs the paper discharge unit.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, printing services, wherein images which have been photographed with digital cameras are printed, are being provided, along with the spread of digital cameras. As a manner in which these printing services are provided, there is known a printing apparatus provided with a plurality of printing engines, each housing paper therein (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2001-162871). The printing apparatus is configured to receive a recording medium such as a SmartMedia™ having image data recorded therein, and to print images represented by the image data with the plurality of printing engines within the apparatus. By providing a plurality of printing engines, image data can be printed in parallel. Thus, high speed, efficient printing processes are enabled.
Various types of paper sizes exist for the paper on which images are printed. Examples include: postcard size, 3×5, 4×6, and CD size. Each printing engine performs printing on papers of a plurality of paper sizes. A discharge mechanism capable of discharging the largest print size is provided, in order to enable discharge of all of the print sizes.
The discharge mechanism is constituted by a chute box, which guides the papers output by the print engines to an ejection opening. For example, the chute box of a printing apparatus, which prints onto papers of the postcard size, 3×5, 4×6, and the CD size, is capable of discharging papers of the 4×6 size, and has a width so that the 4×6 size papers do not rotate therein.
However, when papers smaller than the 4×6 size move through the chute box gaps exist between the chute box and the papers. Therefore, the papers rotate within the discharge mechanism. When the papers fall to the ejection opening, the papers may be in disarray, or flipped over. Therefore, a problem exists in that when a user removes the papers from the ejection opening, they are not organized.